Opening of the Cardiff Story Museum and a Royal Meeting

By Viv Head, on July 29th, 2011

The new Cardiff Story Museum was officially opened by HRH the Duchess of Cornwall on Tuesday 28th June 2011. I was fortunate enough to be invited to the opening, having arranged for a number of police related artefacts to be donated and having provided much information about the Bute Dock Police and their police station around 1900. As you can see I did not waste the opportunity to catch the Duchess’s ear!

One of the items on display was a Bute Dock Police cutlass, dating from the 1860s, donated to the museum by retired Chief Inspector and History Group member Roy Hulin. Many former officers will be aware that a large number of these cutlasses were either on display at the docks police station at Cardiff or held in store at Divisional Headquarters. But when the BT police were withdrawn from the docks in 1985, the cutlasses were regarded as unique souvenirs of a time long since gone – and many were spirited away. So it is particularly pleasing to have one on display at the museum- the Bute Dock Police certainly played their part in the Cardiff Story.

The Duchess took the time to have a thorough look at the many things on display, including the cutlass, and asked all the right questions. I had the opportunity to briefly mention the work of the BTP History Group and she seemed genuinely interested. I must say that I was impressed with her visit and after a few fine speeches and a delicious buffet-lunch; I was able to reflect on a rewarding day over a pint of Brain’s Black (which is another part of the Cardiff Story…)